


The Leftovers

by Spazzo47



Category: The Newsroom (US TV)
Genre: F/M, Fan Fiction challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-30
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2020-07-25 23:48:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20034352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spazzo47/pseuds/Spazzo47
Summary: For Lilac Mermaid's July 2015 Fan Fiction Challenge:  Non-Canon Couples.





	The Leftovers

**Author's Note:**

> If I were a character on the show, I would ask myself, "What the fuck is this?" Seriously. I have wanted to write this pairing for a long time, but never found the time. A golden opportunity presented itself, and this is what came out. But, it's done, it's posted before the end of the month, and since it seems we seem to post in clumps, maybe we'll see a few more new works in the next few days.

He walked into the bar and scanned for anyone he knew. He recognized her immediately and saw that she was alone, so he walked to her table wearing his most winning smile. He laughed when he tapped on her shoulder and moved to other, forcing him to look for him. When she rolled her eyes at him, he took a seat. 

“I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced, I’m –”

“Brian Brenner. And I’m Nina Howard.” She looked at him with disdain. 

“Drinking your sorrows away?” He held up the current issue of TMI, with a cover photo of Will McAvoy and Mackenzie McHale. The headline, “From an Affair to Genoa: Why Will McAvoy Has to Get Hitched”.

“Well, at least we sold one issue.” Nina laughed humorlessly. “I told my editors that Will and Mackenzie don’t sell magazines.”

“So I guess you’re not going to send the happy couple a blender?”

This time Nina genuinely laughed. “Nope. I’m going to celebrate by watching him get his ass kicked out of ACN.”

“I can raise a glass to that.” Brian took his glass and clinked her glass that sat on the table. 

“Are all Mackenzie’s exes as arrogant as you?”

Brian laughed himself. “I met Mac in college. She didn’t have any other exes. She never stayed in one place long enough. Does Will only seriously date people he meets in the office?”

“I met Will at a party. I threw a drink in his face.”

“I heard he has that effect on people.”

“I heard the same about you.”

Brian laughed again. “First time I met Mac, she sat in a bar, staring a drink she had no intention of drinking and acted disinterested in me.”

“Are you sure it was an act? Because I’m gonna tell you, Will McAvoy is a step up from what I’m seeing here.”

“Too bad for you that he’s engaged now. Planning to pledge himself to one woman, until –”

“You don’t believe it’s going to last anymore than I do, do you?”

Brian smiled again. “She’s a cheater, he’s a liar. Anyone with an ounce of journalistic instincts would have known that story was bullshit. And how the hell she got him to propose after that… it must be to cover themselves in court.”

As Brian’s tirade continued, she started to see similarities between him and Will. Will, at his best, could be more refined or even fun. But this belligerent ass was also a hallmark of his personality. 

“That’s the only way they got together, isn’t it?”

Nina sat back in her chair and smiled at him. “Whether we like it or not, Will and Mackenzie were always destined to be… something. He never stopped loving her, it just took some time to realize it. Now, if you can pay for the drinks, I’ll let you take me home.”

Brian gave her another smarmy smile and put some money on the table then pulled her seat out for her. 

“I don’t need Will McAvoy’s leftovers.” 

“Yeah, but you won’t turn them down either.”

Nina never had true love with Will, but he was fun. Maybe Mackenzie’s other leftover could be as well. 

Brian smiled at Nina. He got the best of McAvoy when Mac come to his bed years ago, he’ll get it again with Nina. 


End file.
